Seam ripping attachment for sewing machines



Dec. 25, 1951 K. WILLIAMS SEAM RIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1949 LycZz'czKT VVZZZz'ams which is secured therein in a conventional man- Patented Dec. 25, 1951 SEAM RIPPIN G ATTACHMENT FOR SEWIN MACHINES Lydia K. Williams, White Lake, S. Dak. Application July 8, 1949, Serial No. 103,721

3 Claims. (01. 164-17.5)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 This invention relates to a cutting attachner as by means of the set-screw H. The priment adapted to be mounted in the needle bar mary ripping implement l is provided with an of a sewing machine and which will be operated elongated shank portion 12, which is likewise by the sewing machine, when driven in a conpreferably of circular cross section but of smallventional manner, for quickly and efficiently er diameter than the head 8 and which is concutting the threads of a seam to thereby rip nected to said head in end-to-end relationship out or open the seam without injury to the fabric therewith by an integral frusto-conical portion and much more rapidly than it wouldotherwise l3, The shank portion I2 is provided with a be possible to accomplish such operation. groove I which extends substantially from end- Still another object of the invention is to proto-end ther f n which i p r y p v vide a seam ripping attachment for sewing mawith substantially parallel side walls which are chines wherein the ripping implement may also disposed substantially perpendicular to the bed be utilized as a carrier for a very fine ripping 0f the groove, as best illustrated in es 4 needle or blade which may be detachably supportand 5. The shank I2, at its opposite outer end,

ed thereby for ripping out very fine seams and is beveled on four sides thereof as seen at i5 for cutting the fine threads thereof and which to provide cutting edges [6 at the outer end of could not be cut with the primary ripping imsaid shank I2. One end of the groove I4 opens plement. into one of the beveled surfaces I5 at its outer Still a further object of the invention is to end, as best seen in Figure 4.

provide a novel means for demountably sup- From the foregoing it will be readily apparent porting the fine ripping implement or needle in t at the mem 7 y b mounted as p v y the primary ripping implement and so that the described in the needle bar 9 and y be fine needle will be supported throughout a subeipleeated y the normal Operation o e sewstantial portion of its length to minimize the i s ac e Ill 50 t e e es 6 thereof Will danger of breakage thereof. effectively function for cutting the threads of Various other objects and advantages f th a seam in material which is fed in a conventional invention will hereinafter become more fully a r by the machine beneath its Presser apparent from the following description of the et Sa d edges I6 will function efficiently drawing, illustrating a presently preferred emfor cutting the threads of Ordinary seams but bodiment th r f, d h i is too large for cutting the threads in a very,

Figure l is a view showing the ripping implefine seam. However, the threads of a very fine ment assembled with the fine ripping needle and a y b Cut y a relativelyv fi ead mounted in the needle bar of a sewing machine; cutting ne d e, designated er y 3 Which Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational iew iS substantially smaller in cross section than the of the assembled ripping implement including shank portion I2. However, the needle 53 would the fine ripping needle thereof; ordinarily be of insufficient strength if mounted Figure 3 i view tak n t right angles t directly in the needle bar 9 and therefore to Figure 2 d partly i se tion; reinforce and support said needle 18 the groove Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevational I4 is provided in the shank [2 of the thread cut view of the lower portion of the primary ripping 4o ting member 1 to receive a substantial portion element, with the fine ripping needle removed of the needle I8 which fits relatively snug therein, therefrom, and as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the as- Cutting needle "3 is lo an th roove Id sembled ripping device taken substantially along so a ts lower e d extends beyond the o a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3. p end of the grOOVe and t y d the Referring more specifically to the drawing, the cutting edges l5 and has its terminal beveled, ripping attachment for sewing machines in its as seen at o provide Cutting edges 9- The entirety is designated generally 6 and includes pp pp e d Of the needle l8 abuts a ainst a primary ripping element, designated generally the pp Closed end 2| 0 the oove Hi and 1 comprising an elongated body having an en- 54 said cutting needle l8, adjacent its upper end, larged end or head 8, preferably of circular is thickened to provide a wedge shape portion 22 cross section and which is sized to detachably which protrudes slightly from the groove Hi, fit in a conventional needle bar 9 of a sewing whereas the remainder of the portion of the machine, a portion of which is shown at H] and needle 18 which engages the groove 14 does not project outwardly therefrom.

A retaining collar 23 is slidably and detachably mounted on the shank i2 and is applied thereto over the lower end of the needle 18 and the lower end of said shank' l2 and is moved upwardly on the shank l2 until the bore of said collar 23 is positioned in wedging engagement with the wedge portion 22 for thereby detachably securing the cutting needle 18 in the groove i4.

Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that when the head 8 is secured in the needle bar 9 and the fine cutting needle 13 is secured, as previously described, in the groove 14 of the shank 12, the finer cutting edge 28 of the needle 13 may be utilized for ripping finer seams of finer material,' such as silk, when the sewing machine it is operated in a conventional manner, as previously described. The coarser thread cutting or seam ripping member 7 is preferably employed for ripping seams of wool and cotton.

The head 8 is made of sufli-cient length so that it may be extended further into the needle bar 9 when the fine cuttingneedle is used than when the ripping needle 7 is used alone.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A seam ripping implement for sewing machines comprising an elongated body member having an enlarged head at one end thereof adapted to be detachably secured in a needle bar of a sewing machine, an elongated shank forming a restricted extension of one end or" the head and adapted to extend downwardly therefrom with respect to the needle bar, the lower, free end of said shank being beveled on four sides to provide a V-shaped cutting edge consisting of downwardly converging edge portions merging to form a point, said point being disposed at the terminal or" the lower end of the shank and in alignment with the axis thereof, and said shank having a longitudinal ripping needle receiving groove extending throughout a major portion of the length of the shank, said groove having a closedupper end and a lower end opening into certain of said beveled surfaces above the V-shaped cutting edge.

2. A seam ripping implement as in claim 1, said groove having a flat bed merging at;,the lower end of the groove into certain of the beveled surfaces and which is disposed above and spaced substantially'eq'ual distances from the conver,,- ingedge portions of said cutting edge.

3. A seam ripping implement as in claim 1, said groove having a fiat bed merging at the lower end of the groove into certain of the beveled surfaces and which is disposed above and spaced substantially equal distances from the converging edge portions of said cutting edge, said shank being of circular cross section above said beveled surfaces, and the depth of the groove being less than the length of a radius of the shank.

LYDIA K. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 97,456 Bernier Nov. 12, 1935 188,648 Loeske Mar. 20, 1877 201,782 Helck Mar. 26, 1878 393,119 Muther Nov. 20, 1888 476,052 Loftus May 31, 1892 649,762 Saltzkorn et al. May 15, 1900 1,068,731 Blum July 29, 1913 1,098,579 Lewis 1 June 2, 1914 1,351,010 Bell Aug. 24, 1920 

